Indianapolis moves closer to 96th Street roundabout pact with Carmel

Carmel and Indianapolis are locked in a legal fight over the Hamilton County city's efforts to reconstruct 96th Street into a roundabout corridor. Indianapolis has filed a lawsuit to stop it.
Dwight Adams/IndyStar

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Carmel has been locked in a legal battle with Indianapolis over a plan to construct roundabouts along 96th Street.(Photo: Charlie Nye/The Star 2014 file photo.)Buy Photo

Indianapolis and Carmel are one step closer to a resolution over the suburb's plan to build three roundabouts along the 96th Street border.

A City-County Council committee on Tuesday approved an agreement reached by lawyers for the two cities despite opposition from Democratic council member Christine Scales, whose district includes the proposed roundabouts.

Scales, who has spent more than a year fighting Carmel's plan, reiterated that she thinks roundabouts would make several intersections along 96th Street more dangerous and threaten businesses along that corridor during and after construction.

"It has 20 automobile dealerships located within a 2-mile stretch of road," Scales said. "Those 20 dealerships receive deliveries from 82-foot-plus-long transport trucks carrying vehicles several times a day. If you have a series of five to six roundabouts closely spaced within 2 miles, they are going to have trouble navigating those roundabouts."

Yet, Scales conceded defeat. Indianapolis' public works committee approved a compromise between the two cities, sending it to the full council, where Scales said she expects it to pass.

The council's approval would end a standoff between Indianapolis and Carmel that is still playing out in court. Indianapolis in June filed a lawsuit to block Carmel's roundabout plan. Special Judge Matt Kincaid ruled in Indianapolis' favor, but also said Carmel had the right to move its planned roundabouts 6 feet north and build them without Indianapolis' consent.

Kincaid ordered the two sides into mediation to find a compromise.

Lawyers for the two cities reached an agreement in which Indianapolis would allow construction of roundabouts at Hazel Dell Parkway, Gray Road and Delegates Row. As part of the deal, Carmel agreed not to acquire more right of way for a roundabout at Randall Drive and made other concessions.

Carmel also agreed to make improvements, such as new sidewalks, on both sides of the border where roundabouts are built. Carmel will repave routes that will be used as detours during construction, including sections of River Crossing Boulevard, River Road, Brandt Road and River Ridge Drive in Indianapolis.

In addition, Carmel will repair any Indianapolis streets damaged as a result of construction detours and to install and maintain sidewalks along 96th Street from Priority Way West Drive to River Ridge Drive.